On August 12, the Moon will completely cover the Sun and, for just over a minute, day will turn into night. Catalonia will experience an exceptional astronomical phenomenon, which has not been observed in its entirety for over a century. The enormous scientific and historical interest of this eclipse has made it an unmissable event for both experts and astronomy enthusiasts, and the Government, together with the municipalities, has identified the best observation points.

Tintin, Professor Calculus and Captain Haddock are on the pyre, waiting for the Incas to light it with a large magnifying glass to concentrate the sun's light. But Tintin addresses the king of the stars and asks him to cover himself with a veil if he does not wish for his death. The sun completely darkens, causing panic among the Incas. Tintin asks the sun to shine again. The star lights up and all three are freed.

It doesn't happen very often that dinner time depends on the movements of the sun and the moon. In fact, a great eclipse like the one that is about to happen in our country is not at all common: it is the first in more than a century. For this reason, on August 12, some tables in Catalonia will have more reasons than ever to look towards the sky instead of focusing only on the plate. Restaurants, wineries and hotels have prepared dinners, appetizers, tastings and cocktails conceived around the solar eclipse that will cross the Iberian Peninsula that afternoon. In fact, this combination has turned viewpoints, vineyards, terraces and open spaces into some of the most sought-after places to experience the phenomenon, and gastronomy has joined in with an offer ranging from a tomato bread appetizer and Empordà wine to tasting menus with a Michelin star.

A sign from the gods, a bad omen, a cosmic wonder, an evidence that mathematics govern the visible world... Eclipses have fascinated humanity since the dawn of time. And at every historical stage they have been interpreted in different ways. Today we know that an eclipse is "the total or partial occultation of a celestial body by the interposition of another celestial body between it and the observer." But perhaps it was more romantic to believe that a dragon devoured the sun, as they thought in 8th century BC China.

It has been 121 years since Catalonia last saw a solar eclipse, and another 154 will have to pass until there is another one. Between 7:30 PM and 9:00 PM on August 12, the southern strip of the country will experience a total eclipse. The Sun, however, will only be covered by the moon for a period of between 28 seconds and 1 minute and 32 seconds.

Josep Masalles (Barcelona, 1956) is known as the eclipse hunter. Or Mr. Eclipse Spain. He holds the record for being the person in Spain who has seen the most eclipses - a total of 43 - and is the president of Aster, the Astronomical Association of Barcelona.

The solar eclipse on August 12, which will last one minute, will be a spectacle of nature but will also bring great risks in terms of crowds of curious onlookers. Both the public administration, which has already got down to work, and citizens will have to organize themselves in advance to prevent the day from turning into a chaotic one. “It will be the perfect storm,” warned Josep Maria Arauzo this morning, a professor of economics at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) and a specialist in economic structure in Camp de Tarragona, who cited the possibility of mobile phone service failing as an example. The regions of Lleida and Tarragona, especially in Terres de l'Ebre, will be a privileged place from which to enjoy the spectacle, but the avalanche of visitors requires extreme safety measures.

"Excuse me for not looking at the camera, it's quite difficult to stop looking at this." This is how journalist Lídia Heredia, TV3 correspondent in Washington DC, excused herself to the audience during her live broadcast to transmit the Solar eclipse in April 2024 from Erie, Pennsylvania. With paper glasses on, her mouth open and a face of immense emotion, the journalist insisted: "Many people have the feeling that we are experiencing one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences." Many inhabitants of southern Catalonia, and thousands of tourists, will have a similar feeling this August 12, when the Moon positions itself directly in front of the Sun, and darkness falls. For a minute and a half, as if someone had flipped a switch, it will suddenly get dark and you'll even be able to see the stars. All this will happen between 7:30 PM and 9:00 PM, depending on the location from which the sky is viewed.

Quite a spectacle in the sky. Yesterday, a total lunar eclipse took place, a phenomenon in which the Earth's shadow is completely projected onto our satellite. The eclipse—known as a blood moon for its red tones—was visible in all its splendor, especially in Central Asia. In Catalonia, it was visible from early afternoon, but in cities like Barcelona, clouds initially obscured it, making it a bit of a wait. After the eclipse, a spectacular full moon could also be enjoyed.

"We'll soon be hanging up the "full" sign," says Aleix Roig, head of the Prades Mountains Astronomical Park, with still twelve months to go until Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and other specific parts of the country will be plunged into darkness by the total solar eclipse of 2026.

It's been over 120 years since a total solar eclipse darkened the sky prematurely in Catalonia. next August 12, 2026 This exceptional astronomical phenomenon will be visible, especially in Terres de l'Ebre and Lleida, cloud cover permitting. Although there is still more than a year to go before day turns into night for just over a minute and a half, the Generalitat (Catalan government) is already preparing to organize the expected crush of astronomy enthusiasts in the "total visibility" zones; that is, from where the eclipse will be easiest to observe. Pending the details of these locations, the luckiest city would be Roquetes (Baix Ebre).

The spring astronomical calendar is off to a strong start. This last weekend of March, we witnessed one of the most anticipated events of the year: a partial solar eclipse visible from Catalonia. The phenomenon began on Saturday, March 29, and the moon could be seen slightly biting the sun in some parts of the country.

This Friday, March 14, a lunar eclipse will affect the entire Iberian Peninsula. It will occur early in the morning, and in Catalonia we will see it as a partial eclipse: this means we will be able to enjoy what is popularly known as the "Blood Moon." Due to the darkness cast by the Earth's atmosphere on the satellite, it takes on a reddish hue, creating spectacular images.

Catalonia is preparing for the historic total solar eclipse that will take place on August 12. A phenomenon that had not occurred in our land for 121 years, but which will not be seen in its entirety everywhere. We have to imagine a straight line approximately between Vilanova i la Geltrú and Lleida: the municipalities and regions located south of this line will see the sun completely hidden by the Moon, while those to the north will witness a slightly partial eclipse. In this interactive map you can discover how this spectacular phenomenon will be seen from your municipality and what will be the best areas to enjoy it to the fullest.